Enter: Charleston tour guide mode

Holiday itinerary for Charleston, SC

The architecture of the Gibbes Museum is an attraction of its own. | Photo by CHStoday

The holidays are almost here and if you’re hosting out-of-town guests, it’s time to step into the role of “Charleston’s official tour guide.” We’ve got plenty of recommendations for you to build the perfect itinerary for your visitors.

🏙️ Sightseeing

Is it even a trip to Charleston without seeing the Gibbes Museum? You can also take your visitors to Cypress Gardens for the perfect holiday family photo. And if there are any history buffs in the group, head to the Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site.

🥘 Eat and drink

If your guests need a caffeine pick-me-up, Mercantile & Mash and Second State Coffee are sure to offer something for everyone. If you’re looking for a different kind of brew, the Holy City is home to tons of breweries, including local hot spots Edmund’s Oast and Revelry Brewing Co.

dock street theatre stage — Catch a show at Dock Street Theatre. | Photo by @shaughntillman

🎳 Activities

Temps this time of year can get a bit chilly, so spend a day inside exploring one of these venues to stay warm. Charleston also boasts an excellent theater scene. Check out the upcoming productions at Dock Street Theatre. And if you’ve got any fish fans in the group, check out the South Carolina Aquarium.

CHS_holidayVRBO_DEC2022 — We’re loving this bright and airy bedroom in the first-floor unit.

🛏️ Stay

If your visitors aren’t planning to crash with you, here are some places to stay:

Mid-1700s Kitchen House, French Quarter

This 1,000-sqft carriage house offers two separate bedrooms each with windows overlooking the gardens and courtyard.

Bright Apartment in Historic Downtown, Cannonborough / Elliotborough

Enjoy a sunlit first-floor, recently-remodeled unit just walking distance from King Street. Parking is included.

The fun doesn’t stop there… Be sure to send your visitors the link to our events page in advance to get a feel for what they’ll want to see and do while in town.

Affinity Healthcare dba Palmetto Primary Care

Click here to have your event featured.

Monday, Dec. 19

Small Wonders | Monday, Dec. 19 | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Lowcountry Artists Gallery, 148 E. Bay St., Charleston | Free | Lowcountry Artists Gallery presents new small 8x8 paintings for the holidays by a number of gallery artists for the month of December — a portion of proceeds will be donated to Pattison’s Academy.

Tuesday, Dec. 20

Super Quick Holiday Flannel Stockings | Tuesday, Dec. 20 | 11 a.m. | Bees Ferry West Ashley Library, 3035 Sanders Rd., Charleston | Free | Register to make a quick holiday stocking to hang on the mantle.

Wednesday, Dec. 21

Awendaw Green Barn Jam | Wednesday, Dec. 21 | 5:50-10 p.m. | Sewee Outpost, 4853 U.S. 17 N., Awendaw | $10 | This outdoor concert event features five different bands performing original music each week with food available from The Roost Bar N’ Grille and Holy City Popcorn.
Indaco’s Winter Solstice Dinner | Wednesday, Dec. 21 | 6 p.m. | Indaco Charleston, 526 King St., Charleston | $135 | This four-course, family-style dinner will bring Charleston’s local produce and traditional wines of Piedmont together.

Thursday, Dec. 22

Holiday Festival of Lights | Thursday, Dec. 22 | 5:30-10 p.m. | James Island County Park, 871 Riverland Dr., Charleston | $25+ | Explore Santa’s Village and Winter Wonderland under magical twinkling lights and enjoy holiday treats.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

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Life should be a balance of adventure and relaxation — not balancing finances. Enter: Working with a financial advisor. But choosing the wrong one could potentially wreak havoc on your retirement and investments.

Avoid these 7 common mistakes when hiring a financial advisor so you can get back to the balance that matters most.

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Weather

55º | Mostly sunny | 1% chance of rain

Sunrise + sunset

Rise: 7:16 a.m.
Set: 5:18 p.m.

Tide

Low: 10:24 a.m. + 10:32 p.m.
High: 4 a.m. + 4:08 p.m.

Coming Soon

We spotted some sweet news. Vegan bakery Cinnaholic plans to open soon on King Street, and while there’s no official opening date yet, the shop recently shared tentative plans to open at the start of 2023. Look forward to creating your own cinnamon rolls and ordering scoops of edible cookie dough at 415 King St.

Biz

Carnival Sunshine will head to Norfolk, VA, after its contract with the Port of Charleston expires at the end of 2024. The new service from Norfolk will begin Feb. 18, 2025, with stops in the Bahamas and Eastern Caribbean. 🚢 (The Post and Courier)

Development

The International African American Museum is delaying its grand opening, originally scheduled for the weekend of January 21. While an updated opening date has not yet been announced, the museum released a statement that detailed visitors are expected to be welcomed in the first half of 2023. View the full statement. (WCSC)
Cordgrass Landing, a 55-lot housing community in West Ashley, is now under development + expected to offer 10 two-story floor plans for single-family homes starting in the $500,000 range. The community is set to feature a playground and walking trails near Stono River County Park and Rantowles Creek. (The Post and Courier)
A new retail store is coming to the former Doscher’s IGA grocery store site in West Ashley Station Shopping Center. The grocery store, located at 1133 Savannah Hwy., is set to be demolished soon. Construction is expected to begin on the retail site late this month. (The Post and Courier)

Community

Charleston County Public Library’s West Ashley branch temporarily closed on Saturday for ongoing renovations that are expected to take several months to complete. Scheduled updates to the library, located at 45 Windermere Blvd., include new paint, carpet, and furniture, as part of a $108.5 million referendum passed in 2014. In the meantime, find items placed on hold at the Cynthia Graham Hurd St. Andrews Library at 1735 N. Woodmere Dr. (WCSC)

Civic

The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office will raise deputies’ salaries by ~12% in January 2023. The Sheriff’s Office plans to use $3.8 million of its own funds, available because of around 150 vacancies in the department. (WCSC)

Travel

The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) will offer free service to all riders on Christmas Day. This annual promotion is an opportunity for CARTA to give back to its riders during the holiday season. Note: Services will operate on a Sunday schedule on Christmas. 🚌

Number

$4.075 million. That’s the record-breaking sale price of a 6,113-sqft home in Hamlin Plantation after just seven days on the market, marking the highest recorded price for a northern Mount Pleasant community. The waterfront home, located at 4915 Sound View Dr., features five bedrooms + a saltwater infinity pool and spa. (The Post and Courier)
$62.5 million. That’s the recent sale price of The Exchange at Windsor Hill, a 312-unit apartment complex in North Charleston. The property, located at 8240 Windsor Hill Blvd., was purchased by an affiliate of Tampa-based American Landmark Properties. (The Post and Courier)

Award

The Credit One Charleston Open, the largest women’s-only tennis tournament in North America, was named the Tournament of the Year by the Women’s Tennis Association for its staff, fans, and dedication to its athletes. The next tournament is set for April 1-9, 2023 on Daniel Island. Get tickets. 🎾

Answered

Sip, sip hooray. This week we asked you, our readers, where to get hot chocolate around town. We heard Saveurs du Monde Café and Christophe Artisan Chocolatier. Thanks for the tips, Joan K. and Taylor M. ☕

DYK

Watch your step. Several Portuguese man o’ wars recently washed up on Sullivan’s Island. Take a look. Even if these critters are dead, they can still sting and tentacles may extend up to 100 ft. (WCIV)

Shop

If you’re looking for a last-minute gift for someone on your list, look no further. Let us introduce you to gift cards from our CHStoday shop, Six & Main. Purchase a gift card today. 🎁
Score a last-minute holiday party invite? Don’t show up empty handed — say thank you to the host by gifting them with a speciality Carolina Gift Box. We’ve got our eyes on that Breakfast Box. 🥓*

Featured Deal

It pays to be a whiskey-loving Charlestonian. Whiskey and Whitetails is now offering 10% off for local subscribers with code “10OFF”. The veteran-owned company makes all products here in Chucktown and their barrel made, high quality, hand crafted products make the perfect present for any hunter or whiskey enthusiast. 🥃 *

Seasonal

Give the gift of a quality shave month after month with a Harry’s trial set and blade subscription. Choose your handle color, refill frequency, and let the good shave days roll in for as little as $5 on sign-up (yes, you heard that right). 🪒*

Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

Retail

Shipping deadlines for Christmas

Snail mail may be faster than Santa. | Photo by Element5 Digital via Pexels

Grab your packing tape. If you have a package that must arrive by December 25, we’ve got the details on when and where to ship your presents. 🎁

FedEx deadlines:

Tuesday, Dec. 20 | Express Saver
Wednesday, Dec. 21 | FedEx 2Day
Friday, Dec. 23 | FedEx SameDay

Locate your nearest FedEx location.

UPS deadlines:

Tuesday, Dec. 20 | UPS 3 Day Select
Wednesday, Dec. 21 | UPS 2nd Day Air
Thursday, Dec. 22 | UPS Next Day Air

Find your nearest UPS location.

United States Postal Service deadlines:

Monday, Dec. 19 | Priority Mail service
Friday, Dec. 23 | Priority Mail Express service

Find your nearest Post Office.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Tatum.

Editor’s pick: Here’s the latest from a local organization that’s important to me. The SC Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Care Center has welcomed 15 sea turtle patients that stranded on the coast of Cape Cod. Instagram users, watch these little guys being admitted to the center.

Did you know all seven species of sea turtles are listed as threatened or endangered? The center aids sick and injured sea turtles in partnership with the SC Dept. of Natural Resources, helping to protect their populations.

So, how can you help? Add these turtles to your holiday shopping list and shop for the Care Center through the aquarium’s Amazon wishlist.

Missed Friday’s newsletter? Take note of new places to eat around town, here.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Alexandra Garian, Tatum Jacaruso, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Kaylee Holland, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Stephanie Zapiecki | Advertise with us.

Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.

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